Fox News suggested that former Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) may have trouble getting Senate confirmation from fellow Republicans following reports that he is being considered for the position of President Obama's Secretary of Defense. Fox's objection to Hagel follows previous efforts by the network to obstruct Obama's possible Cabinet nominations.

In late November, Foreign Policyreported that Hagel was being vetted for "a possible top national security post in the Obama Administration," including the position of Secretary of Defense that Secretary Leon Panetta will vacate. Senators from across the political spectrum, including Carl Levin (D-MI), Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Jim Inhofe (R-OK) praised Hagel's potential nomination, and Jeff Sessions (R-AL) who specifically praised Hagel's "seriousness and experience."

Despite this praise, Fox & Friends co-host Gretchen Carlson claimed Hagel might be opposed by Senate Republicans. Carlson said that Hagel's opposition to the 2007 troop surge in Iraq and his accompanying then-Senator Obama on a trip to Afghanistan and Iraq in 2008 means he is "not a typical Republican" and that "could present some obstacles" to his Senate confirmation.